The Con That They Call Love
by HannahBanana94
Summary: A Branning Christmas is never one to forget. And in 2012, it certainly won't be forgotten easily. With death, betrayal and revenge all in town, all that's missing is a shock return, oh wait...here comes Maddie Branning.


**Summary: **_A Branning Christmas is never one to forget. And in 2012, it certainly won't be forgotten easily. With death, betrayal and revenge all in town, all that's missing is a shock return, oh wait...here comes Maddie Branning. __  
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_**Disclaimer: I do not own Eastenders or anything else within this fanfiction apart from Maddie Branning, Luke Harris and Conor Harris.**__  
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**one **

Christmas was one of her most favorite days of the year. Ever since she was a little girl living with her Dad and Step-Mum, and younger sisters and brother once they came along. To quote the song, it's the most wonderful time of the year. She always gets into the Christmas spirit in plenty of time and it always rubs off on everyone else. Although this Christmas, her mood was already dampened by her absentee boyfriend. In the six years that they've been going out, Luke always had a habit of taking off for weeks at a time and keeping no contact with Maddie or his family. Luke is from Walford, a district in East London where Maddie was living in at the time they met. Maddie was fourteen and Luke was sixteen when they started going out in 2006. She gazed out the window with her long legs crossed over one another, as she stood and a mug of tea held tight to her chest, her other arm was wrapped around her rib cage. Seeing as it was Christmas, she was wearing her brand new white Christmas sweater with 'Ho! Ho! Ho!' printed on it in red letters. She matched that off with a pair of skinny jeans and a brown small heeled ankle boots. Her collarbone length brown hair fell in smooth loose curls around her face.

"Mummy, Mummy" An excited four year old said, bouncing over towards Maddie holding one of those over sized Lighting McQueen model cars. A huge grin was plastered on his face and his brown eyes, which he inherited from his mother instead of his hazel-eyed father, lit up with glee "Look what Santa brought. It's a Lightning McQueen race car with **wings**" He pressed a button which made two wings pop out of the side of the tow.**  
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"Wow, Conor, that is amazing, why don't you go play more with your toys? Okay?" Maddie asked him, a weak smile playing on her lips. She couldn't hide her worry over her boyfriends most recent disappearance. Yes, he done it often, but she always gets worried, even though she shouldn't be, after some of the things he's done in recent years.

"Okay" Conor smiled happily and when back to playing with his Christmas gifts. Luke and Maddie didn't have much money. Maddie had recently been fired from her job as a waitress and Luke collected unemployment benefits. So, they couldn't afford to pay for hoards of Christmas presents. She saved for months to make her son happy on Christmas morning. Other twenty-year old's would be saving just to go out on a Saturday night. Maddie had Conor when she was sixteen. Unlike some some teenage mothers, Maddie had no one. Her Step-Mum, Tanya, kicked her out of the house when she found out. Her Dad wasn't around at the time to stop hit. He had an affair with Maddie's older brother, Bradley's, new wife, Stacy, and they separated. He then took off for a while. Maddie stayed with her Uncle Jack for a few weeks, before just packing her stuff up one night and leaving Albert Square. Luke, who was eighteen at the time, got a council flat, where they still live today. Well, Maddie and Conor. Luke had went out three months ago and never came home. His parents don't even know where he is. Maddie couldn't help but worry, she was even brought to tears some night wondering where he went to. They didn't live in the nicest neighborhood. Everything that could have happened has passed through her mind at one point, or another.

Maddie's stiff body jumped when she heard a knock at the door. It was 10am, who could be around this early on Christmas morning? She placed the cup down onto the window sill. Opening up the chain-locked front door, you could never be to careful, her heart sank. It was a woman in fancy pant-suit. Tears began to form in her eyes and her breathing became unsteady.

"Are you Ms. Madeline Branning?" She asked. Her short blonde hair was pulled back and held together with a clip. Maddie couldn't speak, she just nodded her head "I'm Sarah Major, with the Department of Social Services. I was wondering if I could come in an talk." Maddie breathed an almost sigh of relief. She had thought for a moment that Luke was dead or something. But, social services?

"Um, yes, of course," Maddie said, going over and closing the living room door. "Could you come through to the kitchen? It's just that my son has gotten into his Christmas presents and the place is a wreck."

"It's no problem," Sarah said, following Maddie into the tiny flat kitchen.

"I'm so rude, I didn't offer you any tea," Maddie said, grabbing the kettle and filling it up with water at the tap.

"No, I'll be fine," Sarah said, sitting down at the little three seated dining table behind the door.

"I should have guessed," Maddie said, plopping the kettle down on it's stand. "You're a coffee woman."

"No, I just had one, thanks," Sarah said. "Ms. Branning can you sit down, please?"

"I'm sorry," Maddie said, sitting herself down at the table.

"Ms. Branning," Sarah began. "We're here to inform you that we have received anonymous complaints against you."

"What?"

"On the 12th December 2012, we received an anonymous phone call, reporting your parenting of a young Conor Harris," Sarah explained. "That is your son, yes?"

"Yes, but-" Maddie began, confused.

"Since then we have received three more anonymous reports from various callers," Sarah continued, Maddie just sat staring at her, until a realization came to her.

"Anonymous?" Maddie questioned. She knew exactly who it was. Her mind sprung back to three week ago.

"_You'll regret this,_" Derek shouted, as Maddie slammed the door in her uncles face.

"Yes, one caller informed us that she witnessed you striking your son on several occasions," Sarah told her, flicking through her notepad.

"They're lying, I've never hit Connor," Maddie said, tear welling up in her eyes. "Not even when he's bold. He's only little."

"Even if these claims do prove to be false, we have opened an investigation against you," Sarah informed her. Maddie mouth fell open. She literally had no words. She's never done anything wrong. She's barely even shouted at her son, let along hit him. She was always kindly to her neighbors. How could someone she must have known do something like this? "And we are going to have your son placed with a nice family until the assessment is complete."

"What?" Maddie asked. "You can't do that. He's four years old. He needs to be with his mother. I haven't done anything wrong."

"Then the investigation will prove that, and Connor will be placed back into your care in a couple of weeks," Sarah told her, as tears rolled down Maddie's cheeks. Maddie rested her forehead onto the knuckle of her thumb. "Would you like a couple of minutes with your son?" Maddie nodded her head, as she took deep breaths and wiped away the tears from under her eyes. After a couple of moments preparing herself for it, Maddie, still shaking, got up and walked down the hallway into the living room.

"Conor, baby, come here to mummy," Maddie told him, as she sat down on the couch. Connor, compliantly, put down his new toys and walked over to his mother. Maddie gently pulled him closer to her. "Listen to me, okay, baby?" Connor nodded. "You have to go away with this nice woman in the kitchen. But, it's only for a little while. And when you come back, I'm going to be right here waiting for you, and maybe daddy will be home. Isn't that nice?" Connor nodded again. "You can play with your toys for another little bit, while mummy's going to pack you a bag. I'm going to put in your little runners, that light up when you run very fast, and you're favorite Captain America and Spiderman t-shirts. And you can even take one of your new toys. How does that sound?"

"Why are you crying?" Connor asked, seeing the tears rolling out of her eyes. Maddie had tried to stay strong while she was with him, but she couldn't do it.

"Because, I'm sad and I'm going to miss you so much," Maddie told him, gently tickling his little tummy.

"I'm going to miss you too, mummy," He told her and wrapped his little arms around her neck. Maddie began to cry harder, as she gripped onto his red t-shirt. "I wove you."

"I love you too, baby," She said, pulling away. "You're my little man, and don't be scared okay. I'll see you soon, okay?" Connor nodded again. "Now, you try and decide which new toy you're going to take with you. You can't change your mind and come back."

"Okay," He said sadly, turning and walking back over to the toys he had received. Maddie took a deep, shaky breath before standing up again. She kept her eyes on Connor as she walked to the door. She sighed, as she gently closed the door behind her. Packing up that bag had the be one of the worst moments of her life. And she's had plenty. From her dad walking out when she was just a baby, to her mum abandoning her when she couldn't cope with two young children. Maddie lived her dad from that moment on. Him, and his new wife. The one he left her mother for. Maddie never had any resentment towards Tanya. She raised her along with Lauren and Abi, as if she was her own daughter. It's when Maddie got older and became a teenager that things got rough. She began acting out, dating older boys. She pushed her dad and Tanya to the limit. It was when Maddie was fourteen that they split. Maddie knew her dad had a wandering eye, and Tanya did threaten to leave him many times before, but she didn't until then. Probably because Stacey was his daughter-in-law, that put the final nail in the coffin for Tanya. Her dad then took off, leaving Tanya with a wayward Maddie, and two other young daughters and a baby boy to look after. Maddie had been going out with Luke for a while by that stage, and Tanya was pushed to the limit when Maddie came home from school one day in tears. That day was glued into Maddie's memory.

_Maddie must have been standing there for at least fifteen minutes. She had no idea how to tell Tanya. What with everything that has gone on in the past eighteen months, this was the last thing her step-mother needed to hear. She was scared. Scared about telling everyone. Scared of what people with think. Scared about the whole situation in general. It was one place Maddie never thought she would find herself in. Pregnant at sixteen. Her mum and dad were eighteen when her brother Bradley was born. Tanya was eighteen when she had Lauren. It wasn't exactly the best set up, now was it? Finally she perked up enough courage to finally enter the house. She didn't need an excuse. Tanya had known about her boyfriend for a long time, and although she didn't approve, thinking he was a bad influence and from the wrong part of Walford, Maddie had it clear she couldn't stop her. Maddie had met him after school before. Tanya automatically assumed now, if Maddie didn't come home straight after school without telling her, that she went to meet Luke. _

_"Maddie?" She heard Tanya call from the kitchen. She must have heard the front door closing. Maddie slowly walked into the kitchen, her hands and breath shaking, she was so nervous. Her cheeks were still wet from her tears. "I didn't expect you home so early. Maddie, what's wrong?"_

_"I'm sorry," Maddie cried, sitting down at the table. She covered her face in her hands, as she cried into them. Tanya sat down beside her step-daughter. _

_"What have you to be sorry for?" Tanya chuckled, not realizing the severity of the situation. "You haven't done anything wrong, have you? Did you get suspended from school?"_

_"I wish."_

_"Expelled?" Tanya questioned, resting her hand on Maddie's arm. "Please, tell me."_

_"I'm pregnant," Maddie muttered into her hands._

_"What?"_

_"I said, I'm pregnant," Maddie said, looking up at Tanya. She sat there, her eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly open. Sobs rang out from Maddie's chest as she waited for Tanya's reaction._

_"You stupid girl," Tanya cried out in frustration, standing up from her seat. Maddie folded her arms and rested her head on the table as she prepared herself for the anger rant she was about to receive. "You're only sixteen. How do you expect to raise a kid? You're a child yourself. You're doing your GSCE's in a couple of months. How could you be so stupid to let something like this happen? Even kid's these days know to use protection. That obviously never came into your mind when you were off with that boy of yours. He's only eighteen himself."_

_"I'm sorry," Maddie cried, raising her head and looking up at her furious Step-mother through tear filled eyes. "I didn't mean for it to happen."_

_"Get out." _

_"What?" Maddie asked, her heart sinking. _

_"Go upstairs, pack your bags and get out of this house," Tanya said, pointing to the stairs. "Because, if you think I'm going to sit back and help you with this, you're wrong. You are going to do it yourself and see how hard it is."_

_"But, Tan-"_

_"No. Being a parent is being an adult," Tanya said. "Now, pack your bags and go out there to see how hard it actually is. It's your own fault for getting yourself in this mess."_

Maddie walked out of her sons room with the bag in hand. Sarah was standing by the kitchen door of the tiny, two-bedroom council flat.

"Thank you for abiding with us," Sarah said, taking the bag from her. "It will go in your favor."

"I have nothing to hide," Maddie said. "I'll just be waiting until my son comes home."

"We'll be in touch shortly," Sarah said, as they walked into the living room again.

"Mummy, can I take my Lightning McQueen race car?" Conor asked, running over to his mother. Maddie took a deep breath.

"Yeah, of course you can, baby," Maddie said, ruffling his scruffy brown hair. She bent down in front of her son, rested her hand onto his chest. "It's time to go now. This is Sarah. She's going to take you to a nice house for a short while. Remember, what do I always tell you in the shops?"

"Behave," Conor said, looking at his shoes. Maddie giggled. Conor always got a little bit over excited on the occasion she took him out to do the grocery shopping. She usually done it while he was at nursery.

"Exactly. Be nice for the man and woman," Maddie told him. "And don't be sad, because you'll be back with mummy and daddy in no time. You'll see."

"Will I not get to see grandpa and nana today?" Conor asked. "They said they would come and visit at Christmas."

"Not today, baby," Maddie said, tears building in her eyes once again. One thing she never thought would happen, was that her son would be taken away from her. She always put him first, never hurt him and gave him everything he needed. If it wasn't for that sleazy uncle of hers... "But, as soon as you come back, we'll go up and visit grandpa and nana, how about that?"

"Okay," Conor nodded his head.

"Alright, let's get your coat on," Maddie said. "You don't want to get a cold, do you?" Connor nodded his head again, as Maddie stood up. She grabbed his coat from the hangers in the hallway and slowly put it on over his shoulders. Zipping it up, Maddie then placed a light kiss on Conor's forehead. "I'm gonna miss you. I love you."

"Wove you too, mummy," Conor said, sadly, as Sarah took his hand and lead him out of the little flat. Maddie remained in her crouched position until the door closes. She then fell to her knees and began sobbing. Holding her chest, she finally let out a large cry, as tears rolling ferociously out of her eyes.


End file.
